valadas Sixteenth Century Japan. Civil wars. Military marauders and rapists. Rival clans fighting each other. The samurais, individual warriors following a rigid behaviour code and imposing themselves as an outstanding social groupThis movie develops itself in these surroundings in a half-poetic, half-realist atmosphere but very well succeeded in filmic and plot terms.Fancy and fantasy also shows up in some moments. A parallel story of two countrymen is told. One is a craftsman who Works on clay potteries, The other is a fool that wants forcefully to become a samurai though it doesn't have enough money to get the necessary outfit. Both leave their houses in a village later plundered by one of the armies above referred and go away where to make their dreams come true leaving their wives behind. This turns out to be very tragic and after several adventures including the love relationship of the potter with a ghost princess, they cone back home and meet several unhappy vicissitudes some of them having been caused by those violent soldiers. Enchanting film direction, seducing and sentimentally well presented.

Benedito Dias Rodrigues Another Kenji Mizogushi's masterpiece a little inferior than Saikaku Ichidai Onna,settled in sixteen century two families living together in hard life in a province near the lake,Genjurô making handcraft ceramic products to sell in near village,and his farmer neighbor Tobei who intend to be a famous Samurai...when the war is broke out...against all advises they go to the village by boat,there they making money and Tobei and his wife split,and end up molested became a prostitute while Tobei looking for glory....Genjurô finds a beauty woman to marry living an easy life,but it don't seen to be what really is...anyway this old Japanese tale adapted in this movie is really astonishing and a true gem!!!

avik-basu1889 'Ugetsu' is a Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi based on stories in Ueda Akinari's book titled Ugetsu Monogatari. At the basic level, this is a story about survival during the Japanese Civil Wars in the late 16th century. The film follows two married couples namely Genjurō and Miyagi, Tōbei and Ohama of the Ōmi Province. They get uprooted along with a lot of other families when their village gets attacked by Shibata Katsuie's army. Genjurō being a potter decides to go to Ōmizo to sell his wares to earn money. He goes to Ōmizo with Tōbei and Ohama while Miyagi decides to stay back and take care of Genichi(Miyagi and Genjurō's son). While in Ōmizo, Genjurō gets attracted to the mysterious and enigmatic Lady Wakasa and becomes overwhelmed by his interest in her, and Tōbei, who was always a bit of a delusional dimwit, gets more and more inclined towards living the life of a samurai and show-off his bravery and strength. Tōbei ends up seeking out Samurai soldiers leaving his wife Ohama alone and helpless during chaotic wartime.Along with 'Rashomon', 'Ugetsu' is considered by many critics to be the film that opened doors for Japanese cinema in the western world and gave the cinema in Japan a global exposure. Like 'Rashomon', this film was also based on Japanese folk tales, but Mizoguchi's humanist filmmaking made it relevant for the 1950s and its relevance hasn't waned at all in the last 50 years. 'Ugetsu' belonged to a whole line of films that got released after WWII along with 'Rashomon', 'The Bicycle Thief', 'The Planes are Flying', 'Ivan's Childhood', etc. which looked at war in a critical way instead of glorifying. They critiqued the very purpose of war by brutally depicting its devastating consequences. Although 'Ugetsu' is set in 16th century Japan during the Japanese Civil War, for me it clearly is an allegory for Japanese society during WWII and the allegory here is a lit bit more overt and obvious than the same in 'Rashomon'.This can surely be seen as a feminist film. We see the men fall prey to puerile ambitions and greed, while the women are left helpless and asked to fend for themselves during a time of war when they are more prone to danger and harm with ravenous and wild warriors running around everywhere. But the women in the film do what they have to do without showing any fear and without accepting defeat. After watching this film, I don't think it is possible for anyone to not fall completely in love with the character of Miyagi. She has unconditional love for her husband Genjurō and their son Genichi. She does whatever she has to, to make sure her son survives under difficult, harsh conditions, when Genjurō was spending time with Lady Wasaka. This film shows the hopeless nature of gender inequality that existed in medieval Japan and how women were extremely vulnerable.The film as I mentioned before is an allegory for the Japanese society and the Japanese political system in the WWII era. Like Tōbei, some men are too drawn to the idea of power and will go to any lengths to prove to others that they are powerful by engaging in pointless fights. Genjurō represents those people who being led by unrestricted greed want to utilise war in their own way by making use of people's troubles to fill up their pockets. Lady Wasaka is very mysterious and interesting character. She is a very Mephistopheles- like character who lures Genjurō into her world by promising him eternal happiness, wealth and love. The Faust-esque Genjurō falls for her and abandons his own family. If the people sitting on thrones are led by the greed for power and the greed for lust and wealth, it can sometimes lead to irreparable damage to their country and its people. This might sound preachy, but the film presents this through the screenplay instead of blatant sermons. The film is also a commentary on the disappearance of Buddhist ideals and principals in modern Japanese society.Along with Mizoguchi's style of storytelling, one can't help but admire the skill of his camera work. The film has many beautiful wide shots which serve both purposes - beauty as well as thematic relevance. There are some seamless transitions from one scene to another. Mizoguchi also beautifully builds tension and sets a Gothic creepy atmosphere in certain scenes which lends the film a genuine horror element. However, 'Ugetsu' like 'Rashomon' ends in a very optimistic and emotional note.'Ugetsu' is a film whose importance and significance in film history can never be questioned. It is an artistic allegory of life during wartime. As long as the concept of war exists in human society, this film will continue to have significant relevance.

Michael Mendez Now these are the type of films that give me a reason to critique work. In Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugestu, I was moved and tossed through a loop, but in the end it was definitely worth it.I am fascinated by the Japanese culture especially the different eras/periods that they went though. The title of the film is based on a book, two in fact, called "Tales of the Moon and Rain" (I am trying my best not to add any spoilers to this entry.)The film takes place in the 16th century Civil-War period. These were desperate times of survival, mostly for men who would have the main duty of protecting the family. The protagonist in this story, Genjûrô, has a wife and a child. They are in need of money and his pottery is beginning to sell very well on ACCOUNT of the war going on. It is when a group of bandits come into their small village and demand strict labor upon any man they can find. Luckily, Genjûrô's family gets away just in time. They set sail to a bigger town, so he can sell more of his crafts. To accompany him is a man named Tobei and his wife. Tobei is sort of the dimwitted character that needs a purpose. Though, everything he needs is right in from of him (a wife, friends, food, a decent job, etc.), he has a dream to one day be a samurai. This you can tell is not a good idea, since he is gullible and really bad with his savings. But at least he is helping Genjûrô and his family get by.It is when Genjûrô's wife has to stay back with the child so that they can travel more cautiously. There have been pirates lurking around and it was not necessary to risk it. In the town that Genjûrô, Tobei, and his wife sell the pottery, Genjûrô comes across a mysterious maiden with hikimayu eyebrows, Lady Wakasa, who invites him up to her secluded manor with her and her servant lady. This is probably where I should stop.The film definitely took me by surprise. I actually thought it was a horror flick at first. Either way, I was not disappointed to find out that is was a fantasy/drama/mystery. It kept me interested the whole way through. I would have to say my favorite character that goes through the change is simply Tobei. His aspiring hope for becoming a true man and brave warrior take a turn.. for whatever you want to look at it. I found him and his wife's story, which sort of breaks off from Genjûrô's in the middle, very touching and heartfelt.